The Chinese Fairy Book

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XXVI

THE GOD OF WAR

THE God of War, Guan Di, was really named Guan Yu.At the time when the rebellion of the Yellow Turbans was raging throughout the empire, he, together with two others whom he met by the wayside, and who were inspired with the same love of country which possessed him, made a pact of friendship.One of the two was Liu Be, afterward emperor, the other was named Dschang Fe.The three met in a peach-orchard and swore to be brothers one to the other, although they were of different families.They sacrificed a white steed and vowed to be true to each other to the death.

Guan Yu was faithful, honest, upright and brave beyond all measure. He loved to read Confucius’s “Annals of Lu,” which tell of the rise and fall of empires. He aided his friend Liu Be to subdue the Yellow Turbans and to conquer the land of the four rivers. The horse he rode was known as the Red Hare, and could run a thousand miles in a day. Guan Yu had a knife shaped like a half-moon which was called the Green Dragon. His eyebrows were beautiful like those of the silk-butterflies, and his eyes were long-slitted like the eyes of the Phenix. His face was scarlet-red in color, and his beard so long that it hung down over his stomach. Once, when he appeared before the emperor, the latter called him Duke Fairbeard, and presented him with a silken pocket in which to place his beard. He wore a garment of green brocade. Whenever he went into battle he showed invincible bravery. Whether he were opposed by a thousand armies or by ten thousand horsemen—he attacked them as though they were merely air.

Once the evil Tsau Tsau had incited the enemies of his master, the Emperor, to take the city by treachery.When Guan Yu heard of it he hastened up with an army to relieve the town.But he fell into an ambush, and, together with his son, was brought a captive to the capital of the enemy’s land.The prince of that country would have been glad to have had him go over to his side; but Guan Yu swore that he would not yield to death himself.Thereupon father and son were slain.When he was dead, his horse Red Hare ceased to eat and died.A faithful captain of his, by name of Dschou Dsang, who was black-visaged and wore a great knife, had just invested a fortress when the news of the sad end of the duke reached him.And he, as well as other faithful followers would not survive their master, and perished.

At the time a monk, who was an old compatriot and acquaintance of Duke Guan was living in the Hills of the Jade Fountains.He used to walk at night in the moonlight.

Suddenly he heard a loud voice cry down out of the air: “I want my head back again!”

The monk looked up and saw Duke Guan, sword in hand, seated on his horse, just as he appeared while living.And at his right and left hand, shadowy figures in the clouds, stood his son Guan Ping and his captain, Dschou Dsang.

The monk folded his hands and said: “While you lived you were upright and faithful, and in death you have become a wise god; and yet you do not understand fate! If you insist on having your head back again, to whom shall the many thousands of your enemies who lost their lives through you appeal, in order to have life restored to them?”

When he heard this the Duke Guan bowed and disappeared.Since that time he has been without interruption spiritually active.Whenever a new dynasty is founded, his holy form may be seen.For this reason temples and sacrifices have been instituted for him, and he has been made one of the gods of the empire.Like Confucius, he received the great sacrifice of oxen, sheep and pigs.His rank increases with the passing of centuries.First he was worshiped as Prince Guan, later as King Guan, and then as the great god who conquers the demons.The last dynasty, finally, worships him as the great, divine Helper of the Heavens.He is also called the God of War, and is a strong deliverer in all need, when men are plagued by devils and foxes.Together with Confucius, the Master of Peace, he is often worshiped as the Master of War.

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TALES OF SAINTS AND MAGICIANS

XXVII

THE HALOS OF THE SAINTS

THE true gods all have halos around their heads. When the lesser gods and demons see these halos, they hide and dare not move. The Master of the Heavens on the Dragon-Tiger Mountain meets the gods at all times. One day the God of War came down to the mountain while the mandarin of the neighboring district was visiting the Master of the Heavens. The latter advised the mandarin to withdraw and hide himself in an inner chamber. Then he went out to receive the God of War. But the mandarin peeped through a slit in the door, and he saw the red face and green garment of the God of War as he stood there, terrible and awe-inspiring. Suddenly a red halo flashed up above his head, whose beams penetrated into the inner chamber so that the mandarin grew blind in one eye. After a time the God of War went away again, and the Master of the Heavens accompanied him. Suddenly Guan Di said, with alarm: “Confucius is coming! The halo he wears illumines the whole world. I cannot endure its radiance even a thousand miles away, so I must hurry and get out of the way!” And with that he stepped into a cloud and disappeared. The Master of the Heavens then told the mandarin what had happened, and added: “Fortunately you did not see the God of War face to face! Whoever does not possess the greatest virtue and the greatest wisdom, would be melted by the red glow of his halo.” So saying he gave him a pill of the elixir of life to eat, and his blind eye gradually regained its sight.

It is also said that scholars wear a red halo around their heads which devils, foxes and ghosts fear when they see it.

There was once a scholar who had a fox for a friend.The fox came to see him at night, and went walking with him in the villages.They could enter the houses, and see all that was going on, without people being any the wiser.But when at a distance the fox saw a red halo hanging above a house he would not enter it.The scholar asked him why not.

“Those are all celebrated scholars,” answered the fox.“The greater the halo, the more extensive is their knowledge.I dread them and do not dare enter their houses.”

Then the man said: “But I am a scholar, too!Have I no halo which makes you fear me, instead of going walking with me?”

“There is only a black mist about your head,” answered the fox.“I have never yet seen it surrounded by a halo.”

The scholar was mortified and began to scold him; but the fox disappeared with a horse-laugh.

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XXVIII

LAOTSZE

LAOTSZE is really older than heaven and earth put together.He is the Yellow Lord or Ancient, who created this world together with the other four.At various times he has appeared on earth, under various names.His most celebrated incarnation, however, is that of Laotsze, “The Old Child,” which name he was given because he made his appearance on earth with white hair.

He acquired all sorts of magic powers by means of which he extended his life-span.Once he hired a servant to do his bidding.He agreed to give him a hundred pieces of copper daily; yet he did not pay him, and finally he owed him seven million, two hundred thousand pieces of copper.Then he mounted a black steer and rode to the West.He wanted to take his servant along.But when they reached the Han-Gu pass, the servant refused to go further, and insisted on being paid.Yet Laotsze gave him nothing.

When they came to the house of the guardian of the pass, red clouds appeared in the sky. The guardian understood this sign and knew that a holy man was drawing near. So he went out to meet him and took him into his house. He questioned him with regard to hidden knowledge, but Laotsze only stuck out his tongue at him and would not say a word. Nevertheless, the guardian of the pass treated him with the greatest respect in his home. Laotsze’s servant told the servant of the guardian that his master owed him a great deal of money, and begged the latter to put in a good word for him. When the guardian’s servant heard how large a sum it was, he was tempted to win so wealthy a man for a son-in-law, and he married him to his daughter. Finally the guardian heard of the matter and came to Laotsze together with the servant. Then Laotsze said to his servant: “You rascally servant. You really should have been dead long ago. I hired you, and since I was poor and could give you no money, I gave you a life-giving talisman to eat. That is how you still happen to be alive. I said to you: ‘If you will follow me into the West, the land of Blessed Repose, I will pay you your wages in yellow gold. But you did not wish to do this.’ ” And with that he patted his servant’s neck. Thereupon the latter opened his mouth, and spat out the life-giving talisman. The magic signs written on it with cinnabar, quite fresh and well-preserved, might still be seen. But the servant suddenly collapsed and turned into a heap of dry bones. Then the guardian of the pass cast himself to earth and pleaded for him. He promised to pay the servant for Laotsze and begged the latter to restore him to life. So Laotsze placed the talisman among the bones and at once the servant came to life again. The guardian of the pass paid him his wages and dismissed him. Then he adored Laotsze as his master, and the latter taught him the art of eternal life, and left him his teachings, in five thousand words, which the guardian wrote down. The book which thus came into being is the Tao Teh King, “The Book of the Way and Life.” Laotsze then disappeared from the eyes of men. The guardian of the pass however, followed his teachings, and was given a place among the immortals.

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XXIX

THE ANCIENT MAN

ONCE upon a time there was a man named Huang An.He must have been well over eighty and yet he looked like a youth.He lived on cinnabar and wore no clothing.Even in winter he went about without garments.He sat on a tortoise three feet long.Once he was asked: “About how old might this tortoise be?”He answered: “When Fu Hi first invented fish-nets and eel-pots he caught this tortoise and gave it to me.And since then I have worn its shield quite flat sitting on it.The creature dreads the radiance of the sun and moon, so it only sticks its head out of its shell once in two thousand years.Since I have had the beast, it has already stuck its head out five times.”With these words he took his tortoise on his back and went off.And the legend arose that this man was ten thousand years old.

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XXX

THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (I)

THERE is a legend which declares that Eight Immortals dwell in the heavens.The first is named Dschung Li Kuan.He lived in the time of the Han dynasty, and discovered the wonderful magic of golden cinnabar, the philosopher’s stone.He could melt quicksilver and burn lead and turn them into yellow gold and white silver.And he could fly through the air in his human form.He is the chief of the Eight Immortals.

The second is named Dschang Go.In primal times he gained hidden knowledge.It is said that he was really a white bat, who turned into a man.In the first days of the Tang dynasty an ancient with a white beard and a bamboo drum on his back, was seen riding backward on a black ass in the town of Tschang An.He beat the drum and sang, and called himself old Dschang Go.Another legend says that he always had a white mule with him which could cover a thousand miles in a single day.When he had reached his destination he would fold up the animal and put it in his trunk.When he needed it again, he would sprinkle water on it with his mouth, and the beast would regain its first shape.

The third is named Lu Yuan or Lu Dung Bin (The Mountain Guest). His real name was Li, and he belonged to the ruling Tang dynasty. But when the Empress Wu seized the throne and destroyed the Li family to almost the last man, he fled with his wife into the heart of the mountains. They changed their names to Lu, and, since they lived in hiding in the caverns in the rocks, he called himself the Mountain Guest or the Guest of the Rocks. He lived on air and ate no bread. Yet he was fond of flowers. And in the course of time he acquired the hidden wisdom.

In Lo Yang, the capital city, the peonies bloomed with special luxuriance.And there dwelt a flower fairy, who changed herself into a lovely maiden with whom Guest of the Rocks, when he came to Lo Yang, was wont to converse.Suddenly along came the Yellow Dragon, who had taken the form of a handsome youth.He mocked the flower fairy.Guest of the Rocks grew furious and cast his flying sword at him, cutting off his head.From that time onward he fell back again into the world of mundane pleasure and death.He sank down into the dust of the diurnal, and was no longer able to wing his way to the upper regions.Later he met Dschung Li Kuan, who delivered him, and then he was taken up in the ranks of the Immortals.

Willowelf was his disciple. This was an old willow-tree which had drawn into itself the most ethereal powers of the sunrays and the moonbeams, and had thus been able to assume the shape of a human being. His face is blue and he has red hair. Guest of the Rocks received him as a disciple. Emperors and kings of future times honor Guest of the Rocks as the ancestor and master of the pure sun. The people call him Grandfather Lu. He is very wise and powerful. And therefore the people still stream into Grandfather Lu’s temples to obtain oracles and pray for good luck. If you want to know whether you will be successful or not in an undertaking, go to the temple, light incense and bow your head to earth. On the altar is a bamboo goblet, in which are some dozens of little lottery sticks. You must shake them while kneeling, until one of the sticks flies out. On the lottery-stick is inscribed a number. This number must then be looked up in the Book of Oracles, where it is accompanied by a four-line stanza. It is said that fortune and misfortune, strange to think, occur to one just as foretold by the oracle.

The fourth Immortal is Tsau Guo Gui (Tsau the Uncle of the State).He was the younger brother of the Empress Tsau, who for a time ruled the land.For this reason he was called the Uncle of the State.From his earliest youth he had been a lover of the hidden wisdom.Riches and honors were no more to him than dust.It was Dschung Li Kuan who aided him to become immortal.

The fifth is called Lan Tsai Ho.Nothing is known of his true name, his time nor his family.He was often seen in the market-place, clad in a torn blue robe and wearing only a single shoe, beating a block of wood and singing the nothingness of life.

The sixth Immortal is known as Li Tia Guai (Li with the iron crutch).He lost his parents in early youth and was brought up in his older brother’s home.His sister-in-law treated him badly and never gave him enough to eat.Because of this he fled into the hills, and there learned the hidden wisdom.

Once he returned in order to see his brother, and said to his sister-in-law: “Give me something to eat!”She answered: “There is no kindling wood on hand!”He replied: “You need only to prepare the rice.I can use my leg for kindling wood, only you must not say that the fire might injure me, and if you do not no harm will be done.”

His sister-in-law wished to see his art, so she poured the rice into the pot. Li stretched one of his legs out under it and lit it. The flames leaped high and the leg burned like coal.

When the rice was nearly boiled his sister-in-law said: “Won’t your leg be injured?”

And Li replied angrily: “Did I not warn you not to say anything!Then no harm would have been done.Now one of my legs is lamed.”With these words he took an iron poker and fashioned it into a crutch for himself.Then he hung a bottle-gourd on his back, and went into the hills to gather medicinal herbs.And that is why he is known as Li with the Iron Crutch.

It is also told of him that he often was in the habit of ascending into the heavens in the spirit to visit his master Laotsze.Before he left he would order a disciple to watch his body and soul within it, so that the latter did not escape.Should seven days have gone by without his spirit returning, then he would allow his soul to leave the empty tenement.Unfortunately, after six days had passed, the disciple was called to the death-bed of his mother, and when the master’s spirit returned on the evening of the seventh day, the life had gone out of its body.Since there was no place for his spirit in his own body, in his despair he seized upon the first handy body from which the vital essence had not yet dispersed.It was the body of a neighbor, a lame cripple, who had just died, so that from that time on the master appeared in his form.

The seventh Immortal is called Hang Siang Dsi. He was the nephew of the famous Confucian scholar Han Yu, of the Tang dynasty. From his earliest youth he cultivated the arts of the deathless gods, left his home and became a Taoist. Grandfather Lu awakened him and raised him to the heavenly world. Once he saved his uncle’s life. The latter had been driven from court, because he had objected when the emperor sent for a bone of Buddha with great pomp. When he reached the Blue Pass in his flight, a deep snowfall had made the road impassable. His horse had floundered in a snow-drift, and he himself was well-nigh frozen. Then Hang Siang Dsi suddenly appeared, helped him and his horse out of the drift, and brought them safely to the nearest inn along the Blue Pass. Han Yu sang a verse, in which the lines occurred:

Suddenly it occurred to him that several years before, Hang Siang Dsi had come to his house to congratulate him on his birthday.Before he had left, he had written these words on a slip of paper, and his uncle had read them, without grasping their meaning.And now he was unconsciously singing the very lines of that song that his nephew had written.So he said to Hang Siang Dsi, with a sigh: “You must be one of the Immortals, since you were able thus to foretell the future!”

And thrice Hang Siang Dsi sought to deliver his wife from the bonds of earth. For when he left his home to seek the hidden wisdom, she sat all day long yearning for his presence. Hang Siang Dsi wished to release her into immortality, but he feared she was not capable of translation. So he appeared to her in various forms, in order to try her, once as a beggar, another time as a wandering monk. But his wife did not grasp her opportunities. At last he took the shape of a lame Taoist, who sat on a mat, beat a block of wood and read sutras before the house.

His wife said: “My husband is not at home.I can give you nothing.”

The Taoist answered: “I do not want your gold and silver, I want you.Sit down beside me on the mat, and we will fly up into the air and you shall find your husband again!”

Hereupon the woman grew angry and struck at him with a cudgel.

Then Hang Siang Dsi changed himself into his true form, stepped on a shining cloud and was carried aloft.His wife looked after him and wept loudly; but he had disappeared and was not seen again.

The eighth Immortal is a girl and was called Ho Sian Gu.She was a peasant’s daughter, and though her step-mother treated her harshly she remained respectful and industrious.She loved to give alms, though her step-mother tried to prevent her.Yet she was never angry, even when her step-mother beat her.She had sworn not to marry, and at last her step-mother did not know what to do with her.One day, while she was cooking rice, Grandfather Du came and delivered her.She was still holding the rice-spoon in her hand as she ascended into the air.In the heavens she was appointed to sweep up the fallen flowers at the Southern Gate of Heaven.

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XXXI

THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (II)

ONCE upon a time there was a poor man, who at last had no roof to shelter him and not a bite to eat.So, weary and worn, he lay down beside a little temple of the field-god that stood by the roadside and fell asleep.And he dreamed that the old, white-bearded field-god came out of his little shrine and said to him: “I know of a means to help you!To-morrow the Eight Immortals will pass along this road.Cast yourself down before them and plead to them!”

When the man awoke he seated himself beneath the great tree beside the field-god’s little temple, and waited all day long for his dream to come true. At last, when the sun had nearly sunk, eight figures came down the road, which the beggar clearly recognized as those of the Eight Immortals. Seven of them were hurrying as fast as they could, but one among them, who had a lame leg, limped along after the rest. Before him—it was Li Tia Guai—the man cast himself to earth. But the lame Immortal did not want to bother with him, and told him to go away. Yet the poor man would not give over pleading with him, begging that he might go with them and be one of the Immortals, too. That would be impossible, said the cripple. Yet, as the poor man did not cease his prayers and would not leave him, he at last said: “Very well, then, take hold of my coat!” This the man did and off they went in flying haste over paths and fields, on and on, and even further on. Suddenly they stood together high up on the tower of Pong-lai-schan, the ghost mountain by the Eastern Sea. And, lo, there stood the rest of the Immortals as well! But they were very discontented with the companion whom Li Tia Guai had brought along. Yet since the poor man pleaded so earnestly, they too allowed themselves to be moved, and said to him: “Very well! We will now leap down into the sea. If you follow us you may also become an Immortal!” And one after another the seven leaped down into the sea. But when it came to the man’s turn he was frightened, and would not dare the leap. Then the cripple said to him: “If you are afraid, then you cannot become an Immortal!”

“But what shall I do now?”wailed the man, “I am far from my home and have no money!”The cripple broke off a fragment of the battlement of the tower, and thrust it into the man’s hand; then he also leaped from the tower and disappeared into the sea like his seven companions.

When the man examined the stone in his hand more closely, he saw that it was the purest silver.It provided him with traveling money during the many weeks it took him to reach his home.But by that time the silver was completely used up, and he found himself just as poor as he had been before.

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XXXII

THE TWO SCHOLARS

ONCE upon a time there were two scholars.One was named Liu Tschen and the other Yuan Dschau.Both were young and handsome.One spring day they went together into the hills of Tian Tai to gather curative herbs.There they came to a little valley where peach-trees blossomed luxuriantly on either side.In the middle of the valley was a cave, where two maidens stood under the blossoming trees, one of them clad in red garments, the other in green.And they were beautiful beyond all telling.They beckoned to the scholars with their hands.

“And have you come?”they asked.“We have been waiting for you overlong!”

Then they led them into the cave and served them with tea and wine.

“I have been destined for the lord Liu,” said the maiden in the red gown; “and my sister is for the lord Yuan!”

And so they were married.Every day the two scholars gazed at the flowers or played chess so that they forgot the mundane world completely.They only noticed that at times the peach-blossoms on the trees before the cave opened, and at others that they fell from the boughs.And, at times, unexpectedly, they felt cold or warm, and had to change the clothing they were wearing.And they marveled within themselves that it should be so.

Then, one day, they were suddenly overcome by homesickness.Both maidens were already aware of it.

“When our lords have once been seized with homesickness, then we may hold them no longer,” said they.

On the following day they prepared a farewell banquet, gave the scholars magic wine to take along with them and said:

“We will see one another again.Now go your way!”

And the scholars bade them farewell with tears.

When they reached home the gates and doors had long since vanished, and the people of the village were all strangers to them.They crowded about the scholars and asked who they might be.

“We are Liu Tschen and Yuan Dschau.Only a few days ago we went into the hills to pick herbs!”

With that a servant came hastening up and looked at them.At last he fell at Liu Tschen’s feet with great joy and cried: “Yes, you are really my master!Since you went away, and we had no news of any kind regarding you some seventy years or more have passed.”

Thereupon he drew the scholar Liu through a high gateway, ornamented with bosses and a ring in a lion’s mouth, as is the custom in the dwellings of those of high estate.

And when he entered the hall, an old lady with white hair and bent back, leaning on a cane, came forward and asked: “What man is this?”

“Our master has returned again,” replied the servant.And then, turning to Liu he added: “That is the mistress.She is nearly a hundred years old, but fortunately is still strong and in good health.”

Tears of joy and sadness filled the old lady’s eyes.

“Since you went away among the immortals, I had thought that we should never see each other again in this life,” said she.“What great good fortune that you should have returned after all!”

And before she had ended the whole family, men and women, came streaming up and welcomed him in a great throng outside the hall.

And his wife pointed out this one and that and said: “That is so and so, and this is so and so!”

At the time the scholar had disappeared there had been only a tiny boy in his home, but a few years old.And he was now an old man of eighty.He had served the empire in a high office, and had already retired to enjoy his old age in the ancestral gardens.There were three grand-children, all celebrated ministers; there were more than ten great-grand-children, of whom five had already passed their examinations for the doctorate; there were some twenty great-great-grand-children, of whom the oldest had just returned home after having passed his induction examinations for the magistracy with honor.And the little ones, who were carried in their parents’ arms, were not to be counted.The grand-children, who were away, busy with their duties, all asked for leave and returned home when they heard that their ancestor had returned.And the girl grand-children, who had married into other families, also came.This filled Liu with joy, and he had a family banquet prepared in the hall, and all his descendants, with their wives and husbands sat about him in a circle.He himself and his wife, a white-haired, wrinkled old lady, sat in their midst at the upper end.The scholar himself still looked like a youth of twenty years, so that all the young people in the circle looked around and laughed.

Then the scholar said: “I have a means of driving away old age!”

And he drew out his magic wine and gave his wife some of it to drink. And when she had taken three glasses, her white hair gradually turned black again, her wrinkles disappeared, and she sat beside her husband, a handsome young woman. Then his son and the older grand-children came up and all asked for a drink of the wine. And whichever of them drank only so much as a drop of it was turned from an old man into a youth. The tale was bruited abroad and came to the emperor’s ears. The emperor wanted to call Liu to his court, but he declined with many thanks. Yet he sent the emperor some of his magic wine as a gift. This pleased the emperor greatly, and he gave Liu a tablet of honor, with the inscription:

“The Common Home of Five Generations”

Besides this he sent him three signs which he had written with his own imperial brush signifying:

“Joy in longevity”

As to the other of the two scholars, Yuan Dschau, he was not so fortunate.When he came home he found that his wife and child had long since died, and his grand-children and great-grand-children were mostly useless people.So he did not remain long, but returned to the hills.Yet Liu Tschen remained for some years with his family, then taking his wife with him, went again to the Tai Hills and was seen no more.

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XXXIII

THE MISERLY FARMER

ONCE upon a time there was a farmer who had carted pears to market.Since they were very sweet and fragrant, he hoped to get a good price for them.A bonze with a torn cap and tattered robe stepped up to his cart and asked for one.The farmer repulsed him, but the bonze did not go.Then the farmer grew angry and began to call him names.The bonze said: “You have pears by the hundred in your cart.I only ask for one.Surely that does you no great injury.Why suddenly grow so angry about it?”

The bystanders told the farmer that he ought to give the bonze one of the smaller pears and let him go.But the farmer would not and did not.An artisan saw the whole affair from his shop, and since the noise annoyed him, he took some money, bought a pear and gave it to the bonze.

The bonze thanked him and said: “One like myself, who has given up the world, must not be miserly.I have beautiful pears myself, and I invite you all to eat them with me.”Then some one asked: “If you have pears then why do you not eat your own?”He answered: “I first must have a seed to plant.”

And with that he began to eat the pear with gusto. When he had finished, he held the pit in his hand, took his pick-ax from his shoulder; and dug a hole a couple of inches deep. Into this he thrust the pit, and covered it with earth. Then he asked the folk in the market place for water, with which to water it. A pair of curiosity seekers brought him hot water from the hostelry in the street, and with it the bonze watered the pit. Thousands of eyes were turned on the spot. And the pit could already be seen to sprout. The sprout grew and in a moment it had turned into a tree. Branches and leaves burgeoned out from it. It began to blossom and soon the fruit had ripened: large, fragrant pears, which hung in thick clusters from the boughs. The bonze climbed into the tree and handed down the pears to the bystanders. In a moment all the pears had been eaten up. Then the bonze took his pick-ax and cut down the tree. Crash, crash! so it went for a while, and the tree was felled. Then he took the tree on his shoulder and walked away at an easy gait.

When the bonze had begun to make his magic, the farmer, too, had mingled with the crowd.With neck outstretched and staring eyes he had stood there and had entirely forgotten the business he hoped to do with his pears.When the bonze had gone off he turned around to look after his cart.His pears had all disappeared.Then he realized that the pears the bonze had divided had been his own.He looked more closely, and the axle of his cart had disappeared.It was plainly evident that it had been chopped off quite recently.The farmer fell into a rage and hastened after the bonze as fast as ever he could.And when he turned the corner, there lay the missing piece from the axle by the city wall.And then he realized that the pear-tree which the bonze had chopped down must have been his axle.The bonze, however, was nowhere to be found.And the whole crowd in the market burst out into loud laughter.

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XXXIV

SKY O’DAWN

ONCE upon a time there was a man who took a child to a woman in a certain village, and told her to take care of him.Then he disappeared.And because the dawn was just breaking in the sky when the woman took the child into her home, she called him Sky O’Dawn.When the child was three years old, he would often look up to the heavens and talk with the stars.One day he ran away and many months passed before he came home again.The woman gave him a whipping.But he ran away again, and did not return for a year.His foster-mother was frightened, and asked: “Where have you been all year long?”The boy answered: “I only made a quick trip to the Purple Sea.There the water stained my clothes red.So I went to the spring at which the sun turns in, and washed them.I went away in the morning and I came back at noon.Why do you speak about my having been gone a year?”

Then the woman asked: “And where did you pass on your way?”

The boy answered: “When I had washed my clothes, I rested for a while in the City of the Dead and fell asleep.And the King-Father of the East gave me red chestnuts and rosy dawn-juice to eat, and my hunger was stilled.Then I went to the dark skies and drank the yellow dew, and my thirst was quenched.And I met a black tiger and wanted to ride home on his back.But I whipped him too hard, and he bit me in the leg.And so I came back to tell you about it.”

Once more the boy ran away from home, thousands of miles, until he came to the swamp where dwelt the Primal Mist. There he met an old man with yellow eyebrows and asked him how old he might be. The old man said: “I have given up the habit of eating, and live on air. The pupils of my eyes have gradually acquired a green glow, which enables me to see all hidden things. Whenever a thousand years have passed I turn around my bones and wash the marrow. And every two thousand years I scrape my skin to get rid of the hair. I have already washed my bones thrice and scraped my skin five times.”

Afterward Sky O’Dawn served the Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty.The Emperor, who was fond of the magic arts, was much attached to him.One day he said to him: “I wish that the empress might not grow old.Can you prevent it?”

Sky O’Dawn answered: “I know of only one means to keep from growing old.”

The Emperor asked what herbs one had to eat.Sky O’Dawn replied: “In the North-East grow the mushrooms of life.There is a three-legged crow in the sun who always wants to get down and eat them.But the Sun-God holds his eyes shut and does not let him get away.If human beings eat them they become immortal, when animals eat them they grow stupefied.”

“And how do you know this?”asked the Emperor.

“When I was a boy I once fell into a deep well, from which I could not get out for many decades. And down there was an immortal who led me to this herb. But one has to pass through a red river whose water is so light that not even a feather can swim on it. Everything that touches its surface sinks to the depths. But the man pulled off one of his shoes and gave it to me. And I crossed the water on the shoe, picked the herb and ate it. Those who dwell in that place weave mats of pearls and precious stones. They led me to a spot before which hung a curtain of delicate, colored skin. And they gave me a pillow carved of black jade, on which were graven sun and moon, clouds and thunder. They covered me with a dainty coverlet spun of the hair of a hundred gnats. A cover of that kind is very cool and refreshing in summer. I felt of it with my hands, and it seemed to be formed of water; but when I looked at it more closely, it was pure light.”

Once the Emperor called together all his magicians in order to talk with them about the fields of the blessed spirits.Sky O’Dawn was there, too, and said: “Once I was wandering about the North Pole and I came to the Fire-Mirror Mountain.There neither sun nor moon shines.But there is a dragon who holds a fiery mirror in his jaws in order to light up the darkness.On the mountain is a park, and in the park is a lake.By the lake grows the glimmer-stalk grass, which shines like a lamp of gold.If you pluck it and use it for a candle, you can see all things visible, and the shapes of the spirits as well.It even illuminates the interior of a human being.”

Once Sky O’Dawn went to the East, into the country of the fortunate clouds.And he brought back with him from that land a steed of the gods, nine feet high.The Emperor asked him how he had come to find it.

So he told him: “The Queen-Mother of the West had him harnessed to her wagon when she went to visit the King-Father of the East. The steed was staked out in the field of the mushrooms of life. But he trampled down several hundred of them. This made the King-Father angry, and he drove the steed away to the heavenly river. There I found him and rode him home. I rode three times around the sun, because I had fallen asleep on the steed’s back. And then, before I knew it, I was here. This steed can catch up with the sun’s shadow. When I found him he was quite thin and as sad as an aged donkey. So I mowed the grass of the country of the fortunate clouds, which grows once every two-thousand years on the Mountain of the Nine Springs and fed it to the horse; and that made him lively again.”

The Emperor asked what sort of a place the country of the fortunate clouds might be.Sky O’Dawn answered: “There is a great swamp there.The people prophesy fortune and misfortune by the air and the clouds.If good fortune is to befall a house, clouds of five colors form in the rooms, which alight on the grass and trees and turn into a colored dew.This dew tastes as sweet as cider.”

The Emperor asked whether he could obtain any of this dew.Sky O’Dawn replied: “My steed could take me to the place where it falls four times in the course of a single day!”

And sure enough he came back by evening, and brought along dew of every color in a crystal flask.The Emperor drank it and his hair grew black again.He gave it to his highest officials to drink, and the old grew young again and the sick became well.

Once, when a comet appeared in the heavens, Sky O’Dawn gave the Emperor the astrologer’s wand.The Emperor pointed it at the comet and the comet was quenched.

Sky O’Dawn was an excellent whistler.And whenever he whistled in full tones, long drawn out, the motes in the sunbeams danced to his music.

Once he said to a friend: “There is not a soul on earth who knows who I am with the exception of the astrologer!”

When Sky O’Dawn had died, the Emperor called the astrologer to him and asked: “Did you know Sky O’Dawn?”

He replied: “No!”

The Emperor said: “What do you know?”

The astrologer answered: “I know how to gaze on the stars.”

“Are all the stars in their places?”asked the Emperor.

“Yes, but for eighteen years I have not seen the Star of the Great Year.Now it is visible once more.”

Then the Emperor looked up towards the skies and sighed: “For eighteen years Sky O’Dawn kept me company, and I did not know that he was the Star of the Great Year!”

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XXXV

KING MU OF DSCHOU

IN the days of King Mu of Dschou a magician came out of the uttermost West, who could walk through water and fire, and pass through metal and stone. He could make mountains and rivers change place, shift about cities and castles, rise into emptiness without falling, strike against solid matter without finding it an obstruction; and he knew a thousand transformations in all their inexhaustible variety. And he could not only change the shape of things but he could change men’s thoughts. The King honored him like a god, and served him as he would a master. He resigned his own apartments that the magician might be lodged in them, had beasts of sacrifice brought to offer him, and selected sweet singers to give him pleasure. But the rooms in the King’s palace were too humble—the magician could not dwell in them; and the King’s singers were not musical enough to be allowed to be near him. So King Mu had a new palace built for him. The work of bricklayers and carpenters, of painters and stainers left nothing to be desired with regard to skill. The King’s treasury was empty when the tower had reached its full height. It was a thousand fathoms high, and rose above the top of the mountain before the capital. The King selected maidens, the loveliest and most dainty, gave them fragrant essences, had their eyebrows curved in lines of beauty, and adorned their hair and ears with jewels. He garbed them in fine cloth, and with white silks fluttering about them, and had their faces painted white and their eyebrows stained black. He had them put on armlets of precious stones and mix sweet-smelling herbs. They filled the palace and sang the songs of the ancient kings in order to please the magician. Every month the most costly garments were brought him, and every morning the most delicate food. The magician allowed them to do so, and since he had no choice, made the best of it.

Not long afterward the magician invited the King to go traveling with him.The King grasped the magician’s sleeve, and thus they flew up through the air to the middle of the skies.When they stopped they found they had reached the palace of the magician.It was built of gold and silver, and adorned with pearls and precious stones.It towered high over the clouds and rain; and none could say whereon it rested.To the eye it had the appearance of heaped-up clouds.All that it offered the senses was different from the things of the world of men.It seemed to the King as though he were bodily present in the midst of the purple depths of the city of the air, of the divine harmony of the spheres, where the Great God dwells.The King looked down, and his castles and pleasure-houses appeared to him like hills of earth and heaps of straw.And there the King remained for some decades and thought no more of his kingdom.

Then the magician again invited the King to go traveling with him once more. And in the place to which they came there was to be seen neither sun nor moon above, nor rivers or sea below. The King’s dazzled eyes could not see the radiant shapes which showed themselves; the King’s dulled ears could not hear the sounds which played about them. It seemed as though his body were dissolving in confusion; his thoughts began to stray, and consciousness threatened to leave him. So he begged the magician to return. The magician put his spell upon him, and it seemed to the King as though he were falling into empty space.

When he regained consciousness, he was sitting at the same place where he had been sitting when the magician had asked him to travel with him for the first time.The servants waiting on him were the same, and when he looked down, his goblet was not yet empty, and his food had not yet grown cold.

The King asked what had happened.And the servants answered, “The King sat for a space in silence.”Whereupon the King was quite bereft of reason, and it was three months before he regained his right mind.Then he questioned the magician.The magician said: “I was traveling with you in the spirit, O King!What need was there for the body to go along?And the place in which we stayed at that time was no less real than your own castle and your own gardens.But you are used only to permanent conditions, therefore visions which dissolve so suddenly appear strange to you.”

The King was content with the explanation. He gave no further thought to the business of government and took no more interest in his servants, but resolved to travel afar. So he had the eight famous steeds harnessed, and accompanied by a few faithful retainers, drove a thousand miles away. There he came to the country of the great hunters. The great hunters brought the King the blood of the white brant to drink, and washed his feet in the milk of mares and cows. When the King and his followers had quenched their thirst, they drove on and camped for the night on the slope of the Kunlun Mountain, south of the Red River. The next day they climbed to the peak of Kunlun Mountain and gazed at the castle of the Lord of the Yellow Earth. Then they traveled on to the Queen-Mother of the West. Before they got there they had to pass the Weak River. This is a river whose waters will bear neither floats nor ships. All that attempts to float over it sinks into its depths. When the King reached the shore, fish and turtles, crabs and salamanders came swimming up and formed a bridge, so that he could drive across with the wagon.

It is said of the Queen-Mother of the West that she goes about with hair unkempt, with a bird’s beak and tiger’s teeth, and that she is skilled in playing the flute.Yet this is not her true figure, but that of a spirit who serves her, and rules over the Western sky.The Queen-Mother entertained King Mu in her castle by the Springs of Jade.And she gave him rock-marrow to drink and fed him with the fruit of the jade-trees.Then she sang him a song and taught him a magic formula by means of which one could obtain long life.The Queen-Mother of the West gathers the immortals around her, and gives them to eat of the peaches of long life; and then they come to her with wagons with purple canopies, drawn by flying dragons.Ordinary mortals sink in the Weak River when they try to cross.But she was kindly disposed to King Mu.

When he took leave of her, he also went on to the spot where the sun turns in after running three thousand miles a day.Then he returned again to his kingdom.

When King Mu was a hundred years old, the Queen-Mother of the West drew near his palace and led him away with her into the clouds.

And from that day on he was seen no more.

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XXXVI

THE KING OF HUAI NAN

THE King of Huai Nan was a learned man of the Han dynasty.Since he was of the blood royal the emperor had given him a kingdom in fee.He cultivated the society of scholars, could interpret signs and foretell the future.Together with his scholars he had compiled the book which bears his name.

One day eight aged men came to see him.They all had white beards and white hair.The gate-keeper announced them to the King.The King wished to try them, so he sent back the gate-keeper to put difficulties in the way of their entrance.The latter said to them: “Our King is striving to learn the art of immortal life.You gentlemen are old and feeble.How can you be of aid to him?It is unnecessary for you to pay him a visit.”

The eight old men smiled and said: “Oh, and are we too old to suit you? Well, then we will make ourselves young!” And before they had finished speaking they had turned themselves into boys of fourteen and fifteen, with hair-knots as black as silk and faces like peach-blossoms. The gate-keeper was frightened, and at once informed the King of what had happened. When the King heard it, he did not even take time to slip into his shoes, but hurried out barefoot to receive them. He led them into his palace, had rugs of brocade spread for them, and beds of ivory set up, fragrant herbs burned and tables of gold and precious stones set in front of them. Then he bowed before them as pupils do before a teacher, and told them how glad he was that they had come.

The eight boys changed into old men again and said: “Do you wish to go to school to us, O King?Each one of us is master of a particular art.One of us can call up wind and rain, cause clouds and mists to gather, rivers to flow and mountains to heave themselves up, if he wills it so.The second can cause high mountains to split asunder and check great streams in their course.He can tame tigers and panthers and soothe serpents and dragons.Spirits and gods do his bidding.The third can send out doubles, transform himself into other shapes, make himself invisible, cause whole armies to disappear, and turn day into night.The fourth can walk through the air and clouds, can stroll on the surface of the waves, pass through walls and rocks and cover a thousand miles in a single breath.The fifth can enter fire without burning, and water without drowning.The winter frost cannot chill him, nor the summer heat burn him.The sixth can create and transform living creatures if he feel inclined.He can form birds and beasts, grasses and trees.He can transplace houses and castles.The seventh can bake lime so that it turns to gold, and cook lead so that it turns to silver; he can mingle water and stone so that the bubbles effervesce and turn into pearls.The eighth can ride on dragons and cranes to the eight poles of the world, converse with the immortals, and stand in the presence of the Great Pure One.”

The King kept them beside him from morning to night, entertained them and had them show him what they could do. And, true enough, they could do everything just as they had said. And now the King began to distil the elixir of life with their aid. He had finished, but not yet imbibed it when a misfortune overtook his family. His son had been playing with a courtier and the latter had heedlessly wounded him. Fearing that the prince might punish him, he joined other discontented persons and excited a revolt. And the emperor, when he heard of it, sent one of his captains to judge between the King and the rebels.

The eight aged men spoke: “It is now time to go.This misfortune has been sent you from heaven, O King!Had it not befallen you, you would not have been able to resolve to leave the splendors and glories of this world!”

They led him on to a mountain.There they offered sacrifices to heaven, and buried gold in the earth.Then they ascended into the skies in bright daylight.The footprints of the eight aged men and of the king were imprinted in the rock of the mountain, and may be seen there to this very day.Before they had left the castle, however, they had set what was left of the elixir of life out in the courtyard.Hens and hounds picked and licked it up, and all flew up into the skies.In Huai Nan to this very day the crowing of cocks and the barking of hounds may be heard up in the skies, and it is said that these are the creatures who followed the King at the time.

One of the King’s servants, however, followed him to an island in the sea, whence he sent him back. He told that the King himself had not yet ascended to the skies, but had only become immortal and was wandering about the world. When the emperor heard of the matter he regretted greatly that he had sent soldiers into the King’s land and thus driven him out. He called in magicians to aid him, in hope of meeting the eight old men himself. Yet, for all that he spent great sums, he was not successful. The magicians only cheated him.

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XXXVII

OLD DSCHANG

ONCE upon a time there was a man who went by the name of Old Dschang.He lived in the country, near Yangdschou, as a gardener.His neighbor, named Sir We, held an official position in Yangdschou.Sir We had decided that it was time for his daughter to marry, so he sent for a match-maker and commissioned her to find a suitable husband.Old Dschang heard this, and was pleased.He prepared food and drink, entertained the match-maker, and told her to recommend him as a husband.But the old match-maker went off scolding.

The next day he invited her to dinner again and gave her money.Then the old match-maker said: “You do not know what you wish!Why should a gentleman’s beautiful daughter condescend to marry a poor old gardener like yourself?Even though you had money to burn, your white hair would not match her black locks.Such a marriage is out of the question!”

But Old Dschang did not cease to entreat her: “Make an attempt, just one attempt, to mention me! If they will not listen to you, then I must resign myself to my fate!”

The old match-maker had taken his money, so she could not well refuse, and though she feared being scolded, she mentioned him to Sir We.He grew angry and wanted to throw her out of the house.

“I knew you would not thank me,” said she, “but the old man urged it so that I could not refuse to mention his intention.”

“Tell the old man that if this very day he brings me two white jade-stones, and four hundred ounces of yellow gold, then I will give him my daughter’s hand in marriage.”

But he only wished to mock the old man’s folly, for he knew that the latter could not give him anything of the kind.The match-maker went to Old Dschang and delivered the message.And he made no objection; but at once brought the exact quantity of gold and jewels to Sir We’s house.The latter was very much frightened and when his wife heard of it, she began to weep and wail loudly.But the girl encouraged her mother: “My father has given his word now and cannot break it.I will know how to bear my fate.”

So Sir We’s daughter was married to Old Dschang.But even after the wedding the latter did not give up his work as a gardener.He spaded the field and sold vegetables as usual, and his wife had to fetch water and build the kitchen fire herself.But she did her work without false shame and, though her relatives reproached her, she continued to do so.

Once an aristocratic relative visited Sir We and said: “If you had really been poor, were there not enough young gentlemen in the neighborhood for your daughter? Why did you have to marry her to such a wrinkled old gardener? Now that you have thrown her away, so to speak, it would be better if both of them left this part of the country.”

Then Sir We prepared a banquet and invited his daughter and Old Dschang to visit him.When they had had sufficient to eat and drink he allowed them to get an inkling of what was in his mind.

Said Old Dschang: “I have only remained here because I thought you would long for your daughter.But since you are tired of us, I will be glad to go.I have a little country house back in the hills, and we will set out for it early to-morrow morning.”

The following morning, at break of dawn, Old Dschang came with his wife to say farewell.Sir We said: “Should we long to see you at some later time, my son can make inquiries.”Old Dschang placed his wife on a donkey and gave her a straw hat to wear.He himself took his staff and walked after.

A few years passed without any news from either of them.Then Sir We and his wife felt quite a longing to see their daughter and sent their son to make inquiries.When the latter got back in the hills he met a plow-boy who was plowing with two yellow steers.He asked him: “Where is Old Dschang’s country house?”The plow-boy left the plow in the harrow, bowed and answered: “You have been a long time coming, sir!The village is not far from here: I will show you the way.”

They crossed a hill. At the foot of the hill flowed a brook, and when they had crossed the brook they had to climb another hill. Gradually the landscape changed. From the top of the hill could be seen a valley, level in the middle, surrounded by abrupt crags and shaded by green trees, among which houses and towers peeped forth. This was the country house of Old Dschang. Before the village flowed a deep brook full of clear, blue water. They passed over a stone bridge and reached the gate. Here flowers and trees grew in luxurious profusion, and peacocks and cranes flew about. From the distance could be heard the sound of flutes and of stringed instruments. Crystal-clear tones rose to the clouds. A messenger in a purple robe received the guest at the gate and led him into a hall of surpassing splendor. Strange fragrances filled the air, and there was a ringing of little bells of pearl. Two maid-servants came forth to greet him, followed by two rows of beautiful girls in a long processional. After them a man in a flowing turban, clad in scarlet silk, with red slippers, came floating along. The guest saluted him. He was serious and dignified, and at the same time seemed youthfully fresh. At first We’s son did not recognize him, but when he looked more closely, why it was Old Dschang! The latter said with a smile: “I am pleased that the long road to travel has not prevented your coming. Your sister is just combing her hair. She will welcome you in a moment.” Then he had him sit down and drink tea.

After a short time a maid-servant came and led him to the inner rooms, to his sister.The beams of her room were of sandalwood, the doors of tortoise-shell and the windows inlaid with blue jade; her curtains were formed of strings of pearls and the steps leading into the room of green nephrite.His sister was magnificently gowned, and far more beautiful than before.She asked him carelessly how he was getting along, and what her parents were doing; but was not very cordial.After a splendid meal she had an apartment prepared for him.

“My sister wishes to make an excursion to the Mountain of the Fairies,” said Old Dschang to him. “We will be back about sunset, and you can rest until we return.”

Then many-colored clouds rose in the courtyard, and dulcet music sounded on the air.Old Dschang mounted a dragon, while his wife and sister rode on phenixes and their attendants on cranes.So they rose into the air and disappeared in an easterly direction.They did not return until after sunset.

Old Dschang and his wife then said to him: “This is an abode of the blessed.You cannot remain here overlong.To-morrow we will escort you back.”

On the following day, when taking leave, Old Dschang gave him eighty ounces of gold and an old straw hat.“Should you need money,” said he, “you can go to Yangdschou and inquire in the northern suburb for old Wang’s drug-shop.There you can collect ten million pieces of copper.This hat is the order for them.”Then he ordered his plow-boy to take him home again.

Quite a few of the folks at home, to whom he described his adventures, thought that Old Dschang must be a holy man, while others regarded the whole thing a magic vision.

After five or six years Sir We’s money came to an end. So his son took the straw hat to Yangdschou and there asked for old Wang. The latter just happened to be standing in his drug-shop, mixing herbs. When the son explained his errand he said: “The money is ready. But is your hat genuine?” And he took the hat and examined it. A young girl came from an inner room and said: “I wove the hat for Old Dschang myself. There must be a red thread in it.” And sure enough, there was. Then old Wang gave young We the ten million pieces of copper, and the latter now believed that Old Dschang was really a saint. So he once more went over the hills to look for him. He asked the forest-keepers, but they could tell him naught. Sadly he retraced his steps and decided to inquire of old Wang, but he had also disappeared.

When several years had passed he once more came to Yangdschou, and was walking in the meadow before the city gate.There he met Old Dschang’s plow-boy.The latter cried out: “How are you?How are you?”and drew out ten pounds of gold, which he gave to him, saying: “My mistress told me to give you this.My master is this very moment drinking tea with old Wang in the inn.”Young We followed the plow-boy, intending to greet his brother-in-law.But when he reached the inn there was no one in sight.And when he turned around the plow-boy had disappeared as well.And since that time no one ever heard from Old Dschang again.

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XXXVIII

THE KINDLY MAGICIAN

ONCE upon a time there was a man named Du Dsi Tschun. In his youth he was a spendthrift and paid no heed to his property. He was given to drink and idling. When he had run through all his money, his relatives cast him out. One winter day he was walking barefoot about the city, with an empty stomach and torn clothes. Evening came on and still he had not found any food. Without end or aim he wandered about the market place. He was hungry, and the cold seemed well nigh unendurable. So he turned his eyes upward and began to lament aloud.

Suddenly an ancient man stood before him, leaning on a staff, who said: “What do you lack since you complain so?”

“I am dying of hunger,” replied Du Dsi Tschun, “and not a soul will take pity on me!”

The ancient man said: “How much money would you need in order to live in all comfort?”

“If I had fifty thousand pieces of copper it would answer my purpose,” replied Du Dsi Tschun.

The ancient said: “That would not answer.”

“Well, then, a million!”

“That is still too little!”

“Well, then, three million!”

The ancient man said: “That is well spoken!”He fetched a thousand pieces of copper out of his sleeve and said: “That is for this evening.Expect me to-morrow by noon, at the Persian Bazaar!”

At the time set Du Dsi Tschun went there, and, sure enough, there was the ancient, who gave him three million pieces of copper.Then he disappeared, without giving his name.

When Du Dsi Tschun held the money in his hand, his love for prodigality once more awoke. He rode pampered steeds, clothed himself in the finest furs, went back to his wine, and led such an extravagant life that the money gradually came to an end. Instead of wearing brocade he had to wear cotton, and instead of riding horseback he went to the dogs. Finally he was again running about barefoot and in rags as before, and did not know how to satisfy his hunger. Once more he stood in the market-place and sighed. But the ancient was already there, took him by the hand and said: “Are you back already to where you were? That is strange! However, I will aid you once more!”

But Du Dsi Tschun was ashamed and did not want to accept his help.Yet the ancient insisted, and led him along to the Persian Bazaar.This time he gave him ten million pieces of copper, and Du Dsi Tschun thanked him with shame in his heart.

With money in hand, he tried to give time to adding to it, and saving in order to gain great wealth.But, as is always the case, it is hard to overcome ingrown faults.Gradually he began to fling his money away again, and gave free rein to all his desires.And once more his purse grew empty.In a couple of years he was as poor as ever he had been.

Then he met the ancient the third time, but was so ashamed of himself that he hid his face when he passed him.

The ancient seized his arm and said: “Where are you going?I will help you once more.I will give you thirty million.But if then you do not improve you are past all aid!”

Full of gratitude, Du Dsi Tschun bowed before him and said: “In the days of my poverty my wealthy relatives did not seek me out.You alone have thrice aided me.The money you give me to-day shall not be squandered, that I swear; but I will devote it to good works in order to repay your great kindness.And when I have done this I will follow you, if needs be through fire and through water.”

The ancient replied: “That is right!When you have ordered these things ask for me in the temple of Laotsze beneath the two mulberry trees!”

Du Dsi Tschun took the money and went to Yangdschou. There he bought a hundred acres of the best land, and built a lofty house with many hundreds of rooms on the highway. And there he allowed widows and orphans to live. Then he bought a burial-place for his ancestors, and supported his needy relations. Countless people were indebted to him for their livelihood.

When all was finished, he went to inquire after the ancient in the temple of Laotsze.The ancient was sitting in the shade of the mulberry trees blowing the flute.He took Du Dsi Tschun along with him to the cloudy peaks of the holy mountains of the West.When they had gone some forty miles into the mountains, he saw a dwelling, fair and clean.It was surrounded by many-colored clouds, and peacocks and cranes were flying about it.Within the house was a herb-oven nine feet high.The fire burned with a purple flame, and its glow leaped along the walls.Nine fairies stood at the oven, and a green dragon and a white tiger crouched beside it.Evening came.The ancient was no longer clad like an ordinary man; but wore a yellow cap and wide, flowing garments.He took three pellets of the White Stone, put them into a flagon of wine, and gave them to Du Dsi Tschun to drink.He spread out a tiger-skin against the western wall of the inner chamber, and bade Du Dsi Tschun sit down on it, with his face turned toward the East.Then he said to him: “Now beware of speaking a single word—no matter what happens to you, whether you encounter powerful gods or terrible demons, wild beasts or ogres, or all the tortures of the nether world, or even if you see your own relatives suffer—for all these things are only deceitful images!They cannot harm you.Think only of what I have said, and let your soul be at rest!”And when he had said this the ancient disappeared.

Then Du Dsi Tschun saw only a large stone jug full of clear water standing before him. Fairies, dragon and tiger had all vanished. Suddenly he heard a tremendous crash, which made heaven and earth tremble. A man towering more than ten feet in height appeared. He called himself the great captain, and he and his horse were covered with golden armor. He was surrounded by more than a hundred soldiers, who drew their bows and swung their swords, and halted in the courtyard.

The giant called out harshly: “Who are you?Get out of my way!”

Du Dsi Tschun did not move.And he returned no answer to his questions.

Then the giant flew into a passion and cried with a thundering voice: “Chop off his head!”

But Du Dsi Tschun remained unmoved, so the giant went off raging.

Then a furious tiger and a poisonous serpent came up roaring and hissing.They made as though to bite him and leaped over him.But Du Dsi Tschun remained unperturbed in spirit, and after a time they dissolved and vanished.

Suddenly a great rain began to fall in streams. It thundered and lightninged incessantly, so that his ears rang and his eyes were blinded.It seemed as though the house would fall.The water rose to a flood in a few moments’ time, and streamed up to the place where he was sitting.But Du Dsi Tschun remained motionless and paid no attention to it.And after a time the water receded.

Then came a great demon with the head of an ox.He set up a kettle in the middle of the courtyard, in which bubbled boiling oil.He caught Du Dsi Tschun by the neck with an iron fork and said: “If you will tell me who you are I will let you go!”

Du Dsi Tschun shut his eyes and kept silent. Then the demon picked him up with the fork and flung him into the kettle. He withstood the pain, and the boiling oil did not harm him. Finally the demon dragged him out again, and drew him down the steps of the house before a man with red hair and a blue face, who looked like the prince of the nether world. The latter cried: “Drag in his wife!”

After a time Du Dsi Tschun’s wife was brought on in chains.Her hair was torn and she wept bitterly.

The demon pointed to Du Dsi Tschun and said: “If you will speak your name we will let her go!”

But he answered not a word.

Then the prince of evil had the woman tormented in all sorts of ways.And she pleaded with Du Dsi Tschun: “I have been your wife now for ten years.Will you not speak one little word to save me?I can endure no more!”And the tears ran in streams from her eyes.She screamed and scolded.Yet he spoke not a word.

Thereupon the prince of evil shouted: “Chop her into bits!”And there, before his eyes, it seemed as though she were really being chopped to pieces.But Du Dsi Tschun did not move.

“The scoundrel’s measure is full!”cried the prince of evil.“He shall dwell no longer among the living!Off with his head!”And so they killed him, and it seemed to him that his soul fled his body.The ox-headed demon dragged him down into the nether regions, where he tasted all the tortures in turn.But Du Dsi Tschun remembered the words of the ancient.And the tortures, too, seemed bearable.So he did not scream and said not a word.

Now he was once more dragged before the prince of evil.The latter said: “As punishment for his obstinacy this man shall come to earth again in the shape of a woman!”

The demon dragged him to the wheel of life and he returned to earth in the shape of a girl. He was often ill, had to take medicine continually, and was pricked and burned with hot needles. Yet he never uttered a sound. Gradually he grew into a beautiful maiden. But since he never spoke, he was known as the dumb maid. A scholar finally took him for his bride, and they lived in peace and good fellowship. And a son came to them who, in the course of two years was already beyond measure wise and intelligent. One day the father was carrying the son on his arm. He spoke jestingly to his wife and said: “When I look at you it seems to me that you are not really dumb. Won’t you say one little word to me? How delightful it would be if you were to become my speaking rose!”

The woman remained silent.No matter how he might coax and try to make her smile, she would return no answer.

Then his features changed: “If you will not speak to me, it is a sign that you scorn me; and in that case your son is nothing to me, either!”And with that he seized the boy and flung him against the wall.

But since Du Dsi Tschun loved this little boy so dearly, he forgot the ancient’s warning, and cried out: “Oh, oh!”

And before the cry had died away Du Dsi Tschun awoke as though from a dream and found himself seated in his former place.The ancient was there as well.It must have been about the fifth hour of the night.Purple flames rose wildly from the oven, and flared up to the sky.The whole house caught fire and burned like a torch.

“You have deceived me!” cried the ancient. Then he seized him by the hair and thrust him into the jug of water. And in a minute the fire went out. The ancient spoke: “You overcame joy and rage, grief and fear, hate and desire, it is true; but love you had not driven from your soul. Had you not cried out when the child was flung against the wall, then my elixir would have taken shape and you would have attained immortality. But in the last moment you failed me. Now it is too late. Now I can begin brewing my elixir of life once more from the beginning and you will remain a mere mortal man!”

Du Dsi Tschun saw that the oven had burst, and that instead of the philosopher’s stone it held only a lump of iron.The ancient man cast aside his garments and chopped it up with a magic knife.Du Dsi Tschun took leave of him and returned to Yangdschou, where he lived in great affluence.In his old age he regretted that he had not completed his task.He once more went to the mountain to look for the ancient.But the ancient had vanished without leaving a trace.

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NATURE AND ANIMAL TALES

XXXIX

THE FLOWER-ELVES

ONCE upon a time there was a scholar who lived retired from the world in order to gain hidden wisdom.He lived alone and in a secret place.And all about the little house in which he dwelt he had planted every kind of flower, and bamboos and other trees.There it lay, quite concealed in its thick grove of flowers.With him he had only a boy servant, who dwelt in a separate hut, and who carried out his orders.He was not allowed to appear before his master unless summoned.The scholar loved his flowers as he did himself.Never did he set his foot beyond the boundaries of his garden.

It chanced that once there came a lovely spring evening.Flowers and trees stood in full bloom, a fresh breeze was blowing, the moon shone clearly.And the scholar sat over his goblet and was grateful for the gift of life.

Suddenly he saw a maiden in dark garments come tripping up in the moonlight.She made a deep courtesy, greeted him and said: “I am your neighbor.We are a company of young maids who are on our way to visit the eighteen aunts.We should like to rest in this court for awhile, and therefore ask your permission to do so.”

The scholar saw that this was something quite out of the common, and gladly gave his consent.The maiden thanked him and went away.

In a short time she brought back a whole crowd of maids carrying flowers and willow branches. All greeted the scholar. They were charming, with delicate features, and slender, graceful figures. When they moved their sleeves, a delightful fragrance was exhaled. There is no fragrance known to the human world which could be compared with it.

The scholar invited them to sit down for a time in his room.Then he asked them: “Whom have I really the honor of entertaining?Have you come from the castle of the Lady in the Moon, or the Jade Spring of the Queen-Mother of the West?”

“How could we claim such high descent?”said a maiden in a green gown, with a smile.“My name is Salix.”Then she presented another, clad in white, and said: “This is Mistress Prunophora”; then one in rose, “and this is Persica”; and finally one in a dark-red gown, “and this is Punica.We are all sisters and we want to visit the eighteen zephyr-aunts to-day.The moon shines so beautifully this evening and it is so charming here in the garden.We are most grateful to you for taking pity on us.”

“Yes, yes,” said the scholar.

Then the sober-clad servant suddenly announced: “The zephyr-aunts have already arrived!”

At once the girls rose and went to the door to meet them.

“We were just about to visit you, aunts,” they said, smiling.“This gentleman here had just invited us to sit for a moment.What a pleasant coincidence that you aunts have come here, too.This is such a lovely night that we must drink a goblet of nectar in honor of you aunts!”

Thereon they ordered the servant to bring what was needed.

“May one sit down here?” asked the aunts.

“The master of the house is most kind,” replied the maids, “and the spot is quiet and hidden.”

And then they presented the aunts to the scholar.He spoke a few kindly words to the eighteen aunts.They had a somewhat irresponsible and airy manner.Their words fairly gushed out, and in their neighborhood one felt a frosty chill.

Meanwhile the servant had already brought in table and chairs.The eighteen aunts sat at the upper end of the board, the maids followed, and the scholar sat down with them at the lowest place.Soon the entire table was covered with the most delicious foods and most magnificent fruits, and the goblets were filled with a fragrant nectar.They were delights such as the world of men does not know!The moon shone brightly and the flowers exhaled intoxicating odors.After they had partaken of food and drink the maids rose, danced and sung.Sweetly the sound of their singing echoed through the falling gloam, and their dance was like that of butterflies fluttering about the flowers.The scholar was so overpowered with delight that he no longer knew whether he were in heaven or on earth.

When the dance had ended, the girls sat down again at the table, and drank the health of the aunts in flowing nectar.The scholar, too, was remembered with a toast, to which he replied with well-turned phrases.

But the eighteen aunts were somewhat irresponsible in their ways.One of them, raising her goblet, by accident poured some nectar on Punica’s dress.Punica, who was young and fiery, and very neat, stood up angrily when she saw the spot on her red dress.

“You are really very careless,” said she, in her anger.“My other sisters may be afraid of you, but I am not!”

Then the aunts grew angry as well and said: “How dare this young chit insult us in such a manner!”

And with that they gathered up their garments and rose.

All the maids then crowded about them and said: “Punica is so young and inexperienced!You must not bear her any ill-will!To-morrow she shall go to you switch in hand, and receive her punishment!”

But the eighteen aunts would not listen to them and went off.Thereupon the maids also said farewell, scattered among the flower-beds and disappeared.The scholar sat for a long time lost in dreamy yearning.

On the following evening the maids all came back again.

“We all live in your garden,” they told him.“Every year we are tormented by naughty winds, and therefore we have always asked the eighteen aunts to protect us.But yesterday Punica insulted them, and now we fear they will help us no more.But we know that you have always been well disposed toward us, for which we are heartily grateful.And now we have a great favor to ask, that every New Year’s day you make a small scarlet flag, paint the sun, moon and five planets on it, and set it up in the eastern part of the garden.Then we sisters will be left in peace and will be protected from all evil.But since New Year’s day has passed for this year, we beg that you will set up the flag on the twenty-first of this month.For the East Wind is coming and the flag will protect us against him!”

The scholar readily promised to do as they wished, and the maids all said with a single voice: “We thank you for your great kindness and will repay it!”Then they departed and a sweet fragrance filled the entire garden.

The scholar, however, made a red flag as described, and when early in the morning of the day in question the East Wind really did begin to blow, he quickly set it up in the garden.

Suddenly a wild storm broke out, one that caused the forests to bend, and broke the trees.The flowers in the garden alone did not move.

Then the scholar noticed that Salix was the willow; Prunophora the plum; Persica the peach, and the saucy Punica the Pomegranate, whose powerful blossoms the wind cannot tear.The eighteen zephyr-aunts, however, were the spirits of the winds.

In the evening the flower-elves all came and brought the scholar radiant flowers as a gift of thanks.

“You have saved us,” they said, “and we have nothing else we can give you.If you eat these flowers you will live long and avoid old age.And if you, in turn, will protect us every year, then we sisters, too, will live long.”

The scholar did as they told him and ate the flowers.And his figure changed and he grew young again like a youth of twenty.And in the course of time he attained the hidden wisdom and was placed among the Immortals.

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XL

THE SPIRIT OF THE WU-LIAN MOUNTAIN

TO the west of the gulf of Kiautschou is the Wu-Lian Mountain, where there are many spirits.Once upon a time a scholar who lived there was sitting up late at night, reading.And, as he stepped out before the house, a storm rose up suddenly, and a monster stretched out his claws and seized him by the hair.And he lifted him up in the air and carried him away.They passed by the tower which looks out to sea, a Buddhist temple in the hills.And in the distance, in the clouds, the scholar saw the figure of a god in golden armor.The figure looked exactly like the image of Weto which was in the tower.In its right hand it held an iron mace, while its left pointed toward the monster, and it looked at it with anger.Then the monster let the scholar fall, right on top of the tower, and disappeared.No doubt the saint in the tower had come to the scholar’s aid, because his whole family worshiped Buddha dutifully.

When the sun rose the priest came and saw the scholar on his tower.He piled up hay and straw on the ground; so that he could jump down without hurting himself.Then he took the scholar home, yet there where the monster had seized his hair, the hair remained stiff and unyielding.It did not improve until half a year had gone by.

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XLI

THE KING OF THE ANTS

ONCE upon a time there was a scholar, who wandered away from his home and went to Emmet village.There stood a house which was said to be haunted.Yet it was beautifully situated and surrounded by a lovely garden.So the scholar hired it.One evening he was sitting over his books, when several hundred knights suddenly came galloping into the room.They were quite tiny, and their horses were about the size of flies.They had hunting falcons and dogs about as large as gnats and fleas.

They came to his bed in the corner of the room, and there they held a great hunt, with bows and arrows: one could see it all quite plainly.They caught a tremendous quantity of birds and game, and all this game was no larger than little grains of rice.

When the hunt was over, in came a long procession with banners and standards. They wore swords at their side and bore spears in their hands, and came to a halt in the north-west corner of the room. They were followed by several hundred serving-men. These brought with them curtains and covers, tents and tent-poles, pots and kettles, cups and plates, tables and chairs. And after them some hundreds of other servants carried in all sorts of fine dishes, the best that land and water had to offer. And several hundred more ran to and fro without stopping, in order to guard the roads and carry messages.

The scholar gradually accustomed himself to the sight.Although the men were so very small he could distinguish everything quite clearly.

Before long, a bright colored banner appeared.Behind it rode a personage wearing a scarlet hat and garments of purple.He was surrounded by an escort of several thousands.Before him went runners with whips and rods to clear the way.

Then a man wearing an iron helmet and with a golden ax in his hand cried out in a loud voice: “His Highness is graciously pleased to look at the fish in the Purple Lake!”Whereupon the one who wore the scarlet hat got down from his horse, and, followed by a retinue of several hundred men, approached the saucer which the scholar used for his writing-ink.Tents were put up on the edge of the saucer and a banquet was prepared.A great number of guests sat down to the table.Musicians and dancers stood ready.There was a bright confusion of mingled garments of purple and scarlet, crimson and green.Pipes and flutes, fiddles and cymbals sounded, and the dancers moved in the dance.The music was very faint, and yet its melodies could be clearly distinguished.All that was said, too, the table-talk and orders, questions and calls, could be quite distinctly heard.

After three courses, he who wore the scarlet hat said: “Quick!Make ready the nets and lines for fishing!”

And at once nets were thrown out into the saucer which held the water in which the scholar dipped his brush. And they caught hundreds of thousands of fishes. The one with the scarlet hat contented himself with casting a line in the shallow waters of the saucer, and caught a baker’s dozen of red carp.

Then he ordered the head cook to cook the fish, and the most varied dishes were prepared with them.The odor of roasting fat and spices filled the whole room.

And then the wearer of the scarlet hat in his arrogance, decided to amuse himself at the scholar’s expense.So he pointed to him and said: “I know nothing at all about the writings and customs of the saints and wise men, and still I am a king who is highly honored!Yonder scholar spends his whole life toiling over his books and yet he remains poor and gets nowhere.If he could make up his mind to serve me faithfully as one of my officials, I might allow him to partake of our meal.”

This angered the scholar, and he took his book and struck at them.And they all scattered, wriggling and crawling out of the door.He followed them and dug up the earth in the place where they had disappeared.And there he found an ants’ nest as large as a barrel, in which countless green ants were wriggling around.So he built a large fire and smoked them out.

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XLII

THE LITTLE HUNTING DOG

ONCE upon a time, in the city of Shansi, there lived a scholar who found the company of others too noisy for him. So he made his home in a Buddhist temple. Yet he suffered because there were always so many gnats and fleas in his room that he could not sleep at night.

Once he was resting on his bed after dinner, when suddenly two little knights with plumes in their helmets rode into the room.They might have been two inches high, and rode horses about the size of grasshoppers.On their gauntleted hands they held hunting falcons as large as flies.They rode about the room with great rapidity.The scholar had no more than set eyes on them when a third entered, clad like the others, but carrying a bow and arrows and leading a little hunting dog the size of an ant with him.After him came a great throng of footmen and horsemen, several hundred in all.And they had hunting falcons and hunting dogs by the hundred, too.Then the fleas and gnats began to rise in the air; but were all slain by the falcons.And the hunting dogs climbed on the bed, and sniffed along the walls trailing the fleas, and ate them up.They followed the trace of whatever hid in the cracks, and nosed it out, so that in a short space of time they had killed nearly all the vermin.

The scholar pretended to be asleep and watched them.And the falcons settled down on him, and the dogs crawled along his body.Shortly after came a man clad in yellow, wearing a king’s crown, who climbed on an empty couch and seated himself there.And at once all the horsemen rode up, descended from their horses and brought him all the birds and game.They then gathered beside him in a great throng, and conversed with him in a strange tongue.

Not long after the king got into a small chariot and his bodyguards saddled their horses with the greatest rapidity.Then they galloped out with great cries of homage, till it looked as though some one were scattering beans and a heavy cloud of dust rose behind them.

They had nearly all of them disappeared, while the scholar’s eyes were still fixed on them full of terror and astonishment, and he could not imagine whence they had come. He slipped on his shoes and looked; but they had vanished without a trace. Then he returned and looked all about his room; but there was nothing to be seen. Only, on a brick against the wall, they had forgotten a little hunting dog. The scholar quickly caught it and found it quite tame. He put it in his paint-box and examined it closely. It had a very smooth, fine coat, and wore a little collar around its neck. He tried to feed it a few bread-crumbs, but the little dog only sniffed at them and let them lie. Then it leaped into the bed and hunted up some nits and gnats in the folds of the linen, which it devoured. Then it returned and lay down. When the night had passed the scholar feared it might have run away; but there it lay, curled up as before. Whenever the scholar went to bed, the dog climbed into it and bit to death any vermin it could find. Not a fly or gnat dared alight while it was around. The scholar loved it like a jewel of price.

But once he took a nap in the daytime, and the little dog crawled into bed beside him.The scholar woke and turned around, supporting himself on his side.As he did so he felt something, and feared it might be his little dog.He quickly rose and looked, but it was already dead—pressed flat, as though cut out of paper!

But at any rate none of the vermin had survived it.

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XLIII

THE DRAGON AFTER HIS WINTER SLEEP

ONCE there was a scholar who was reading in the upper story of his house.It was a rainy, cloudy day and the weather was gloomy.Suddenly he saw a little thing which shone like a fire-fly.It crawled upon the table, and wherever it went it left traces of burns, curved like the tracks of a rainworm.Gradually it wound itself about the scholar’s book and the book, too, grew black.Then it occurred to him that it might be a dragon.So he carried it out of doors on the book.There he stood for quite some time; but it sat uncurled, without moving in the least.

Then the scholar said: “It shall not be said of me that I was lacking in respect.”With these words he carried back the book and once more laid it on the table.Then he put on his robes of ceremony, made a deep bow and escorted the dragon out on it again.

No sooner had he left the door, than he noticed that the dragon raised his head and stretched himself.Then he flew up from the book with a hissing sound, like a radiant streak.Once more he turned around toward the scholar, and his head had already grown to the size of a barrel, while his body must have been a full fathom in length.He gave one more snaky twist, and then there was a terrible crash of thunder and the dragon went sailing through the air.

The scholar then returned and looked to see which way the little creature had come.And he could follow his tracks hither and thither, to his chest of books.

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XLIV

THE SPIRITS OF THE YELLOW RIVER

THE spirits of the Yellow River are called Dai Wang—Great King.For many hundreds of years past the river inspectors had continued to report that all sorts of monsters show themselves in the waves of the stream, at times in the shape of dragons, at others in that of cattle and horses, and whenever such a creature makes an appearance a great flood follows.Hence temples are built along the river banks.The higher spirits of the river are honored as kings, the lower ones as captains, and hardly a day goes by without their being honored with sacrifices or theatrical performances.Whenever, after a dam has been broken, the leak is closed again, the emperor sends officials with sacrifices and ten great bars of Tibetan incense.This incense is burned in a great sacrificial censer in the temple court, and the river inspectors and their subordinates all go to the temple to thank the gods for their aid.These river gods, it is said, are good and faithful servants of former rulers, who died in consequence of their toil in keeping the dams unbroken.After they died their spirits became river-kings; in their physical bodies, however, they appear as lizards, snakes and frogs.

The mightiest of all the river-kings is the Golden Dragon-King. He frequently appears in the shape of a small golden snake with a square head, low forehead and four red dots over his eyes. He can make himself large or small at will, and cause the waters to rise and fall. He appears and vanishes unexpectedly, and lives in the mouths of the Yellow River and the Imperial Canal. But in addition to the Golden Dragon-King there are dozens of river-kings and captains, each of whom has his own place. The sailors of the Yellow River all have exact lists in which the lives and deeds of the river-spirits are described in detail.

The river-spirits love to see theatrical performances.Opposite every temple is a stage.In the hall stands the little spirit-tablet of the river-king, and on the altar in front of it a small bowl of golden lacquer filled with clean sand.When a little snake appears in it, the river-king has arrived.Then the priests strike the gong and beat the drum and read from the holy books.The official is at once informed and he sends for a company of actors.Before they begin to perform the actors go up to the temple, kneel, and beg the king to let them know which play they are to give.And the river-god picks one out and points to it with his head; or else he writes signs in the sand with his tail.The actors then at once begin to perform the desired play.

The river-god cares naught for the fortunes or misfortunes of human beings.He appears suddenly and disappears in the same way, as best suits him.

Between the outer and the inner dam of the Yellow River are a number of settlements.Now it often happens that the yellow water moves to the very edge of the inner walls.Rising perpendicularly, like a wall, it gradually advances.When people see it coming they hastily burn incense, bow in prayer before the waters, and promise the river-god a theatrical performance.Then the water retires and the word goes round: “The river-god has asked for a play again!”

In a village in that section there once dwelt a wealthy man. He built a stone wall, twenty feet high, around the village, to keep away the water. He did not believe in the spirits of the river, but trusted in his strong wall and was quite unconcerned.

One evening the yellow water suddenly rose and towered in a straight line before the village.The rich man had them shoot cannon at it.Then the water grew stormy, and surrounded the wall to such a height that it reached the openings in the battlements.The water foamed and hissed, and seemed about to pour over the wall.Then every one in the village was very much frightened.They dragged up the rich man and he had to kneel and beg for pardon.They promised the river-god a theatrical performance, but in vain; but when they promised to build him a temple in the middle of the village and give regular performances, the water sank more and more and gradually returned to its bed.And the village fields suffered no damage, for the earth, fertilized by the yellow slime, yielded a double crop.

Once a scholar was crossing the fields with a friend in order to visit a relative.On their way they passed a temple of the river-god where a new play was just being performed.The friend asked the scholar to go in with him and look on.When they entered the temple court they saw two great snakes upon the front pillars, who had wound themselves about the columns, and were thrusting out their heads as though watching the performance.In the hall of the temple stood the altar with the bowl of sand.In it lay a small snake with a golden body, a green head and red dots above his eyes.His neck was thrust up and his glittering little eyes never left the stage.The friend bowed and the scholar followed his example.

Softly he said to his friend: “What are the three river-gods called?”

“The one in the temple,” was the reply, “is the Golden Dragon-King.The two on the columns are two captains.They do not dare to sit in the temple together with the king.”

This surprised the scholar, and in his heart he thought: “Such a tiny snake!How can it possess a god’s power?It would have to show me its might before I would worship it.”

He had not yet expressed these secret thoughts before the little snake suddenly stretched forth his head from the bowl, above the altar.Before the altar burned two enormous candles.They weighed more than ten pounds and were as thick as small trees.Their flame burned like the flare of a torch.The snake now thrust his head into the middle of the candle-flame.The flame must have been at least an inch broad, and was burning red.Suddenly its radiance turned blue, and was split into two tongues.The candle was so enormous and its fire so hot that even copper and iron would have melted in it; but it did not harm the snake.

Then the snake crawled into the censer.The censer was made of iron, and was so large one could not clasp it with both arms. Its cover showed a dragon design in open-work.The snake crawled in and out of the holes in this cover, and wound his way through all of them, so that he looked like an embroidery in threads of gold.Finally all the openings of the cover, large and small, were filled by the snake.In order to do so, he must have made himself several dozen feet long.Then he stretched out his head at the top of the censer and once more watched the play.

Thereupon the scholar was frightened, he bowed twice, and prayed: “Great King, you have taken this trouble on my account! I honor you from my heart!”

No sooner had he spoken these words than, in a moment, the little snake was back in his bowl, and just as small as he had been before.

In Dsiningdschou they were celebrating the river god’s birthday in his temple.They were giving him a theatrical performance for a birthday present.The spectators crowded around as thick as a wall, when who should pass but a simple peasant from the country, who said in a loud voice: “Why, that is nothing but a tiny worm!It is a great piece of folly to honor it like a king!”

Before ever he had finished speaking the snake flew out of the temple.He grew and grew, and wound himself three times around the stage.He became as thick around as a small pail, and his head seemed like that of a dragon.His eyes sparkled like golden lamps, and he spat out red flame with his tongue.When he coiled and uncoiled the whole stage trembled and it seemed as though it would break down.The actors stopped their music and fell down on the stage in prayer.The whole multitude was seized with terror and bowed to the ground.Then some of the old men came along, cast the peasant on the ground, and gave him a good thrashing.So he had to cast himself on his knees before the snake and worship him.Then all heard a noise as though a great many firecrackers were being shot off.This lasted for some time, and then the snake disappeared.

East of Shantung lies the city of Dongschou.There rises an observation-tower with a great temple.At its feet lies the water-city, with a sea-gate at the North, through which the flood-tide rises up to the city.A camp of the boundary guard is established at this gate.

Once upon a time there was an officer who had been transferred to this camp as captain. He had formerly belonged to the land forces, and had not yet been long at his new post. He gave some friends of his a banquet, and before the pavilion in which they feasted lay a great stone shaped somewhat like a table. Suddenly a little snake was seen crawling on this stone. It was spotted with green, and had red dots on its square head. The soldiers were about to kill the little creature, when the captain went out to look into the matter. When he had looked he laughed and said: “You must not harm him! He is the river-king of Dsiningdschou. When I was stationed in Dsiningdschou he sometimes visited me, and then I always gave sacrifices and performances in his honor. Now he has come here expressly in order to wish his old friend luck, and to see him once more.”

There was a band in camp; the bandsmen could dance and play like a real theatrical troupe.The captain quickly had them begin a performance, had another banquet with wine and delicate foods prepared, and invited the river-god to sit down to the table.

Gradually evening came and yet the river-god made no move to go.

So the captain stepped up to him with a bow and said: “Here we are far removed from the Yellow River, and these people have never yet heard your name spoken.Your visit has been a great honor for me.But the women and fools who have crowded together chattering outside, are afraid of hearing about you.Now you have visited your old friend, and I am sure you wish to get back home again.”

With these words he had a litter brought up; cymbals were beaten and fire-works set off, and finally a salute of nine guns was fired to escort him on his way. Then the little snake crawled into the litter, and the captain followed after. In this order they reached the port, and just when it was about time to say farewell, the snake was already swimming in the water. He had grown much larger, nodded to the captain with his head, and disappeared.

Then there were doubts and questionings: “But the river-god lives a thousand miles away from here, how does he get to this place?”

Said the captain: “He is so powerful that he can get to any place, and besides, from where he dwells a waterway leads to the sea.To come down that way and swim to sea is something he can do in a moment’s time!”

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XLV

THE DRAGON-PRINCESS

IN the Sea of Dungting there is a hill, and in that hill there is a hole, and this hole is so deep that it has no bottom.

Once a fisherman was passing there who slipped and fell into the hole. He came to a country full of winding ways which led over hill and dale for several miles. Finally he reached a dragon-castle lying in a great plain. There grew a green slime which reached to his knees. He went to the gate of the castle. It was guarded by a dragon who spouted water which dispersed in a fine mist. Within the gate lay a small hornless dragon who raised his head, showed his claws, and would not let him in.

The fisherman spent several days in the cave, satisfying his hunger with the green slime, which he found edible and which tasted like rice-mush.At last he found a way out again.He told the district mandarin what had happened to him, and the latter reported the matter to the emperor.The emperor sent for a wise man and questioned him concerning it.

The wise man said: “There are four paths in this cave.One path leads to the south-west shore of the Sea of Dungting, the second path leads to a valley in the land of the four rivers, the third path ends in a cave on the mountain of Lo-Fu and the fourth in an island of the Eastern Sea.In this cave dwells the seventh daughter of the Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea, who guards his pearls and his treasure.It happened once in the ancient days, that a fisherboy dived into the water and brought up a pearl from beneath the chin of a black dragon.The dragon was asleep, which was the reason the fisherboy brought the pearl to the surface without being harmed.The treasure which the daughter of the Dragon-King has in charge is made up of thousands and millions of such jewels.Several thousands of small dragons watch over them in her service.Dragons have the peculiarity of fighting shy of wax.But they are fond of beautiful jade-stones, and of kung-tsing, the hollowgreen wood, and like to eat swallows.If one were to send a messenger with a letter, it would be possible to obtain precious pearls.”

The emperor was greatly pleased, and announced a large reward for the man who was competent to go to the dragon-castle as his messenger.

The first man to come forward was named So Pi-Lo.But the wise man said: “A great-great-great-great-grandfather of yours once slew more than a hundred of the dragons of the Eastern Sea, and was finally himself slain by the dragons.The dragons are the enemies of your family and you cannot go.”

Then came a man from Canton, Lo-Dsi-Tschun, with his two brothers, who said that his ancestors had been related to the Dragon-King.Hence they were well liked by the dragons and well known to them.They begged to be entrusted with the message.

The wise man asked: “And have you still in your possession the stone which compels the dragons to do your will?”

“Yes,” said they, “we have brought it along with us.”

The wise man had them show him the stone; then he spoke: “This stone is only obeyed by the dragons who make clouds and send down the rain.It will not do for the dragons who guard the pearls of the sea-king.”Then he questioned them further: “Have you the dragon-brain vapor?”

When they admitted that they had not, the wise man said: “How then will you compel the dragons to yield their treasure?”

And the emperor said: “What shall we do?”

The wise man replied: “On the Western Ocean sail foreign merchants who deal in dragon-brain vapor.Some one must go to them and seek it from them.I also know a holy man who is an adept in the art of taming dragons, and who has prepared ten pounds of the dragon-stone.Some one should be sent for that as well.”

The emperor sent out his messengers. They met one of the holy man’s disciples and obtained two fragments of dragon-stone from him.

Said the wise man: “That is what we want!”

Several more months went by, and at last a pill of dragon-brain vapor had also been secured.The emperor felt much pleased and had his jewelers carve two little boxes of the finest jade.These were polished with the ashes of the Wutung-tree.And he had an essence prepared of the very best hollowgreen wood, pasted with sea-fish lime, and hardened in the fire.Of this two vases were made.Then the bodies and the clothing of the messengers were rubbed with tree-wax, and they were given five hundred roasted swallows to take along with them.

They went into the cave.When they reached the dragon-castle, the little dragon who guarded the gate smelled the tree-wax, so he crouched down and did them no harm.They gave him a hundred roasted swallows as a bribe to announce them to the daughter of the Dragon-King.They were admitted to her presence and offered her the jade caskets, the vases and the four hundred roasted swallows as gifts.The dragon’s daughter received them graciously, and they unfolded the emperor’s letter.

In the castle there was a dragon who was over a thousand years old. He could turn himself into a human being, and could interpret the language of human beings. Through him the dragon’s daughter learned that the emperor was sending her the gifts, and she returned them with a gift of three great pearls, seven smaller pearls and a whole bushel of ordinary pearls. The messengers took leave, rode off with their pearls on a dragon’s back, and in a moment they had reached the banks of the Yangtze-kiang. They made their way to Nanking, the imperial capital, and there handed over their treasure of gems.

The emperor was much pleased and showed them to the wise man.He said: “Of the three great pearls one is a divine wishing-pearl of the third class, and two are black dragon-pearls of medium quality.Of the seven smaller pearls two are serpent-pearls, and five are mussel-pearls.The remaining pearls are in part sea-crane pearls, in part snail and oyster-pearls.They do not approach the great pearls in value, and yet few will be found to equal them on earth.”

The emperor also showed them to all his servants.They, however, thought the wise man’s words all talk, and did not believe what he said.

Then the wise man said: “The radiance of wishing-pearls of the first class is visible for forty miles, that of the second class for twenty miles, and that of the third for ten miles.As far as their radiance carries, neither wind nor rain, thunder nor lightning, water, fire nor weapons may reach.The pearls of the black dragon are nine-colored and glow by night.Within the circle of their light the poison of serpents and worms is powerless.The serpent-pearls are seven-colored, the mussel-pearls five-colored.Both shine by night.Those most free from spots are the best.They grow within the mussel, and increase and decrease in size as the moon waxes and wanes.”

Some one asked how the serpent and sea-crane pearls could be told apart, and the wise man answered: “The animals themselves recognize them.”

Then the emperor selected a serpent-pearl and a sea-crane pearl, put them together with a whole bushel of ordinary pearls, and poured the lot out in the courtyard. Then a large yellow serpent and a black crane were fetched and placed among the pearls. At once the crane took up a sea-crane pearl in his bill and began to dance and sing and flutter around. But the serpent snatched at the serpent-pearl, and wound himself about it in many coils. And when the people saw this they acknowledged the truth of the wise man’s words. As regards the radiance of the larger and smaller pearls it turned out, too, just as the wise man had said.

In the dragon-castle the messengers had enjoyed dainty fare, which tasted like flowers, herbs, ointment and sugar.They had brought a remnant of it with them to the capital; yet exposed to the air it had become as hard as stone.The emperor commanded that these fragments be preserved in the treasury.Then he bestowed high rank and titles on the three brothers, and made each one of them a present of a thousand rolls of fine silk stuff.He also had investigated why it was that the fisherman, when he chanced upon the cave, had not been destroyed by the dragons.And it turned out that his fishing clothes had been soaked in oil and tree-wax.The dragons had dreaded the odor.

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XLVI

HELP IN NEED

SOME twenty miles east of Gingdschou lies the Lake of the Maidens. It is several miles square and surrounded on all sides by thick green thickets and tall forests. Its waters are clear and dark-blue. Often all kinds of wondrous creatures show themselves in the lake. The people of the vicinity have erected a temple there for the Dragon Princess. And in times of drought all make pilgrimage there to offer up prayers.

West of Gingdschou, two hundred miles away, is another lake, whose god is named Tschauna, and who performs many miracles.During the time of the Tang dynasty there lived in Gingdschou a mandarin by name of Dschou Bau.While he was in office it chanced that in the fifth month clouds suddenly arose in the sky, piling themselves up like mountains, among which wriggled dragons and serpents; they rolled up and down between the two seas.Tempest and rain, thunder and lightning arose so that houses fell to pieces, trees were torn up by the roots, and much damage was done the crops.Dschou Bau took the blame upon himself, and prayed to the heavens that his people might be pardoned.

On the fifth day of the sixth month he sat in his hall of audience and gave judgment; and suddenly he felt quite weary and sleepy. He took off his hat and laid down on the cushions. No sooner had he closed his eyes than he saw a warrior in helmet and armor, with a halberd in his hand, standing on the steps leading to the hall, who announced: “A lady is waiting outside who wishes to enter!” Dschou Bau asked him: “Who are you?” The answer was: “I am your door-keeper. In the invisible world I already have been performing this duty for many years.” Meanwhile two figures clad in green came up the steps, knelt before him and said: “Our mistress has come to visit you!” Dschou Bau rose. He beheld lovely clouds, from which fell a fine rain, and strange fragrances enchanted him. Suddenly he saw a lady clad in a simple gown, but of surpassing beauty, float down from on high, with a retinue of many female servants. These were all neat and clean in appearance, and waited upon the lady as though she were a princess. When the latter entered the hall she raised her arms in greeting. Dschou Bau came forward to meet her and invited her to be seated. From all sides bright-colored clouds came floating in, and the courtyard was filled with a purple ether. Dschou Bau had wine and food brought and entertained them all in the most splendid way. But the goddess sat staring straight before her with wrinkled brows, and seemed to feel very sad. Then she rose and said with a blush: “I have been living in this neighborhood for many years. A wrong which has been done me, permits me to pass the bounds of what is fitting, and encourages me to ask a favor of you. Yet I do not know whether you wish to save me!”

“May I hear what it is all about,” answered Dschou Bau.“If I can help you, I will be glad to place myself at your disposal.”

The goddess said: “For hundreds of years my family has been living in the depth of the Eastern Sea. But we were unfortunate in that our treasures excited the jealousy of men. The ancestor of Pi-Lo nearly destroyed our entire clan by fire. My ancestors had to fly and hide themselves. And not long ago, our enemy Pi-Lo himself wanted to deliver an imperial letter in the cave of the Sea of Dungting. Under the pretext of begging for pearls and treasures, he wished to enter the dragon-castle and destroy our family. Fortunately a wise man saw through his treacherous purpose, and Lo-Dsi-Tschun and his brothers were sent in his stead. Yet my people did not feel safe from future attacks. For this reason they withdrew to the distant West. My father has done much good to mankind and hence is highly honored there. I am his ninth daughter. When I was sixteen I was wedded to the youngest son of the Rock-Dragon. But my good husband had a fiery temper, which often caused him to offend against the laws of courtesy, and in less than a year’s time the punishment of heaven was his portion. I was left alone and returned to the home of my parents. My father wished me to marry again; but I had promised to remain true to the memory of my husband, and made a vow not to comply with my father’s wish. My parents grew angry, and I was obliged to retire to this place in view of their anger. That was three years ago. Who could imagine that the contemptible dragon Tschauna, who was seeking a wife for his youngest brother, would try to force the wedding-gift upon me? I refused to accept it; but Tschauna knew how to gain his point with my father, and was determined to carry out his intention. My father, regardless of my wishes, promised me to him. And then the dragon Tschauna appeared with his youngest brother and wanted to carry me off by sheer force of arms. I encountered him with fifty faithful followers, and we fought on the meadow before the city. We were defeated, and I am more than ever afraid that Tschauna will attempt to drag me off. So I have plucked up courage to beg you to lend me your mercenaries so that I may beat off my foes and remain as I am. If you will help me I will be grateful to you till the end of my days.”

Dschou Bau answered: “You come from a noble family.Have you no kinsfolk who will hasten to help you in your need, that you are compelled to turn to a mortal man?”

“It is true that my kinsfolk are far-famed and numerous. If I were to send out letters and they came to my aid, they would rub out that scaly scoundrel Tschauna as one might rub garlic. But my deceased husband offended the high heavens and he has not yet been pardoned. And my parents’ will, too, is opposed to mine, so that I dare not call upon my kinsfolk for help. You will understand my need.” Then Dschou Bau promised to help her, and the princess thanked him and departed.

When he awoke, he sighed long thinking over his strange experience.And the following day he sent off fifteen hundred soldiers to stand guard by the Lake of the Maidens.

On the seventh day of the sixth month Dschou Bau rose early.Darkness still lay before the windows, yet it seemed to him as though he could glimpse a man before the curtain.He asked who it might be.The man said: “I am the princess’s adviser.Yesterday you were kind enough to send soldiers to aid us in our distress.But they were all living men, and such cannot fight against invisible spirits.You will have to send us soldiers of yours who have died, if you wish to aid us.”

Dschou Bau reflected for a time, and then it occurred to him that of course such must be the case. So he had his field-secretary examine the roster to see how many of his soldiers had fallen in battle. And the latter counted up to some two thousand foot-soldiers and five-hundred horsemen. Dschou Bau appointed his deceased officer Mong Yuan as their leader, and wrote his commands on a paper which he burned, in order thus to place them at the princess’s disposal. The living soldiers he recalled. When they were being reviewed in the courtyard after their return, a soldier suddenly fell unconscious. It was not until early the following morning that he came to his senses again. He was questioned and replied: “I saw a man clad in red who approached me and said: ‘Our princess is grateful for the aid your master has so kindly given her. Yet she still has a request to make and has asked me to call you.’ I followed him to the temple. The princess bade me come forward and said to me: ‘I thank your master from my heart for sending me the ghost soldiers, but Mong Yuan, their leader is incapable. Yesterday the robbers came with three thousand men, and Mong Yuan was beaten by them. When you return and again see your master, say that I earnestly beg him to send me a good general. Perhaps that will save me in my need.’ Then she had me led back again and I regained consciousness.”

When Dschou Bau had heard these words, which seemed to fit strangely well with what he had dreamed, he thought he would try to see if this were really the case.Therefore he chose his victorious general Dschong Tschong-Fu to take the place of Mong Yuan.That evening he burned incense, offered wine and handed over to the princess this captain’s soul.

On the twenty-sixth of the month news came from the general’s camp that he had suddenly died at midnight on the thirteenth.Dschou Bau was frightened, and sent a man to bring him a report.The latter informed him that the general’s heart had hardly ceased to beat, and that, in spite of the hot summer weather, his body was free from any trace of decay.So the order was given not to bury him.

Then one night an icy, spectral wind arose, which whirled up sand and stones, broke trees and tore down houses.The standing corn in the fields was blown down.The storm lasted all day.Finally, the crash of a terrific thunderbolt was heard, and then the skies cleared and the clouds scattered.That very hour the dead general began to breathe painfully on his couch, and when his attendants came to him, he had returned to life again.

They questioned him and he told them: “First I saw a man in a purple gown riding a black horse, who came up with a great retinue. He dismounted before the door. In his hand he held a decree of appointment which he gave me, saying: ‘Our princess begs you most respectfully to become her general. I hope that you will not refuse.’ Then he brought forth gifts and heaped them up before the steps. Jade-stones, brocades, and silken garments, saddles, horses, helmets and suits of mail—he heaped them all up in the courtyard. I wished to decline, but this he would not allow, and urged me to enter his chariot with him. We drove a hundred miles and met a train of three-hundred armored horsemen who had ridden out to escort me. They led me to a great city, and before the city a tent had been erected in which played a band of musicians. A high official welcomed me. When I entered the city the onlookers were crowded together like walls. Servants ran to and fro bearing orders. We passed through more than a dozen gates before we reached the princess. There I was requested to dismount and change my clothes in order to enter the presence of the princess, for she wished to receive me as her guest. But I thought this too great an honor and greeted her below, on the steps. She, however, invited me to seat myself near her in the hall. She sat upright in all her incomparable beauty, surrounded by female attendants adorned with the richest jewels. These plucked lute-strings and played flutes. A throng of servitors stood about in golden girdles with purple tassels, ready to carry out her commands. Countless crowds were assembled before the palace. Five or six visitors sat in a circle about the princess, and a general led me to my place. The princess said to me: ‘I have begged you to come here in order to entrust the command of my army to you. If you will break the power of my foe I will reward you richly.’ I promised to obey her. Then wine was brought in, and the banquet was served to the sound of music. While we were at table a messenger entered: ‘The robber Tschauna has invaded our land with ten thousand footmen and horsemen, and is approaching our city by various roads. His way is marked by columns of fire and smoke!’ The guests all grew pale with terror when they heard the news. And the princess said: ‘This is the foe because of whom I have sought your aid. Save me in my hour of need!’ Then she gave me two chargers, a suit of golden armor, and the insignia of a commander-in-chief, and bowed to me. I thanked her and went, called together the captains, had the army mustered and rode out before the city. At several decisive points I placed troops in ambush. The enemy was already approaching in great force, careless and unconcerned, intoxicated by his former victories. I sent out my most untrustworthy soldiers in advance, who allowed themselves to be beaten in order to lure him on. Light-armed men then went out against him, and retreated in skirmish order. And thus he fell into my ambush. Drums and kettledrums sounded together, the ring closed around them on all sides and the robber army suffered a grievous defeat. The dead lay about like hemp-stalks, but little Tschauna succeeded in breaking through the circle. I sent out the light horsemen after him, and they seized him before the tent of the enemy’s commanding general. Hastily I sent word to the princess, and she reviewed the prisoners before the palace. All the people, high and low, streamed together, to acclaim her. Little Tschauna was about to be executed in the market place when a messenger came spurring up with a command from the princess’s father to pardon him. The princess did not dare to disobey. So he was dismissed to his home after he had sworn to give up all thought of realizing his traitorous plans. I was loaded with benefits as a reward for my victory. I was invested with an estate with three thousand peasants, and was given a palace, horses and wagons, all sorts of jewels, men-servants and women-servants, gardens and forests, banners and suits of mail. And my subordinate officers, too, were duly rewarded. On the following day a banquet was held, and the princess herself filled a goblet, sent it to me by one of her attendants, and said: ‘Widowed early in life, I opposed the wishes of my stern father and fled to this spot. Here the infamous Tschauna harassed me and well-nigh put me to shame. Had not your master’s great kindness and your own courage come to my assistance, hard would have been my lot!’ Then she began to thank me and her tears of emotion flowed like a stream. I bowed and begged her to grant me leave of absence, so that I might look after my family. I was given a month’s leave and the following day she dismissed me with a splendid retinue. Before the city a pavilion had been erected in which I drank the stirrup-cup. Then I rode away and when I arrived before our own gate a thunder-peal crashed and I awoke.”

Thereupon the general wrote an account of what had happened to Dschou Bau, in which he conveyed the princess’s thanks.Then he paid no further heed to worldly matters, but set his house in order and turned it over to his wife and son.When a month had passed, he died without any sign of illness.

That same day one of his officers was out walking. Suddenly he saw a heavy cloud of dust rising along the highway, while flags and banners darkened the sun. A thousand knights were escorting a man who sat his horse proudly and like a hero. And when the officer looked at his face, it was the general Dschong Tschong-Fu. Hastily he stepped to the edge of the road, in order to allow the cavalcade to pass, and watched it ride by. The horsemen took the way to the Lake of the Maidens, where they disappeared.